Favorite Airbrush Paint?

[brettsky225]

I was wondering what other people's favorite paints are to use for lures because I'm using ready to spray stuff from like us art supply that I got in the 12 color 1 Oz bottle set when I first bought the airbrush to start with and was wondering what people's opinions on the different types of paint to use such as create or auto air just to name a couple as im wanting to buy more colors and expand what i can do now. Thanks!

[mark poulson]

I use and like Createx, Folk Art, Apple Barrel, and Wildlife Colors.

I find the color I want in a water-based paint, and find a way to be able to shoot it.  Fortunately, there are lots of air brush paints available, so look around for whatever colors you want.

If you're just beginning, I'd suggest you learn how to use the air brush on a white poster board, and a piece of white PVC pipe, because it's curved.  Once you've learned how to control air flow, and paint flow, you can play around with mixing color by shooting light coats of one color over another, until you really get a good feel for how an air brush can be used effectively.

Or, you can do like I did, and just plunge in, paint a bunch of baits poorly, and learn from your mistakes.  Hahaha

[brettsky225]

So you can use the like 2 dollar bottles of paint you can buy at like Meijer or Walmart in the craft section? I didn't know if it had to be airbrush paint specifically or not and how would I go about thinning that paint down? Just water? Or something else?

[mark poulson]

I use Auto Aire 4011 and 4012 reducer for the Folk Art, Apple Barrel, and Createx pearls.  How much thinning you do depends on your nozzle size, and on what you're trying to achieve.

I typically thin to a skim milk consistency, and use multiple light coats, heat set between each coat with a hair dryer.  Getting the water out of the paint is crucial for avoiding bubbling of your top coat (read this as lure failure) and thin coats are much easier to dry completely.

For me, I learned most of this stuff here, and from making my own mistakes.

[brettsky225]

OK thanks I'll have to look into that and read more!

[gone2long]

Like said a I also shoot it all, when your talking AB specific paint it is usually milled finer that is why it is recommended for AB's but craft paint works and looks just as good, as long as you don't need extremely fine detail by all means use it but you will need say from .66 and larger to work with it without a lot of tinkering with reduction, I have shot craft glitter paint through my .66 Talon with no problems. Of course I'm sure you already realize that you will need a durable top coat to make it work but that's it, your only limited by your patience with experimentation.

[O'l Robzilla]

On a second note, I use artist inks as well. Very diluted and easy flow to the pain. No thinning down. And works with even the smallest diameter needle.

[BobP]

I used the cheap craft paint for a couple of years.  Some of it worked, some had pigment particles that would clog most airbrushes.  All of it had to be thinned down to shoot.  Then I tried a few airbrush paints and decided to avoid the hassles of craft paint.  It shoots better, no thinning needed, and leaves a smoother paint surface on the lure than craft paint.  Airbrush paints last a long time if you're painting baits as a hobby, so the somewhat higher cost is still pretty darned economical.  If you want specific "custom" colors, check out some of the paints offered by taxidermy suppliers, used to mount all kinds of critters including fish.  Their paints come in both water based and lacquer formulations.  Here's one source I've used, I'm certain there are others:  http://www.mckenziesp.com/Paint-C65.aspx 

 

Createx is the standard airbrush paint in terms of availability and consistent quality.  Auto Air is also a Createx company.  There are plenty of airbrush paint suppliers and brands.  Most of them work just fine.  I mix and match brands indiscriminately with no problems.

[Travis]

Agree with BobP on this one.  I used to do the same, thinning, having to strain at times, clumps forming upon storage, reaction of some craft paints with additives (trying to get it to spray better), reaction with top coat because of those additives, increased fish eyes, etc...  At some point (my mid 30's) I started to really look at things differently.  Simply do I enjoy what I am doing and what is the real cost?  Real cost is time and is the one thing I don't think any of use have enough have, can't work harder to get it, etc...

 

I like making cranks, I like painting them, etc...... did I like having to search for tools, did I like rigging something up because i didn't not have the tool, did I enjoy messing with paints to perform, having to disassemble the brush to clean, and many other little aspects.  The answer is a resounding no.   Once I add up those moments of time it was evident it was way too costly in comparison to the few extra dollars to buy a better product to begin with.  

 

As mentioned you can get (I did for years) very good painted cranks using craft paints but and the numbers most of us produce can there easier, quicker, without the frustration, and in my opinion actually cheaper. 

Edited December 9, 2015 by Travis

[Musky Glenn]

Badger also makes a nice line of paints for the air brush.

[TrophyFishR]

pearls give me fits with clogging.

 

do they need to be thinned or stored at room temperature?

 

Im using createx & didn't realize it was compatible with other paint like auto air. The auto air seems to have better colors, imo. Green pumpkin, olive, chestnut brown, etc.

[Goose77]

I agree with Travis and BobP...the designated airbrush paints and acrylic artist ink is easier for me...fewer hassles. My Iwata Eclipse has a .35 needle so the paint has to be moderately fine. The ComArt paints are ok, Createx very good, and Golden high flow maybe the best for my uses. Cheers, Ed

[SW Lures]

I'm starting to fall towards Wicked and Auto Air. I have Createx mainly right now but I'm switching over right at the moment. With using wooden blanks now and plastic blanks, I'm concerned with bonding of the wooden ones even if I'm using Auto Air sealers. I do use 4011 reducer and will continue to use it. I have had no problems with them either way, other then a error of my own doing.

Cheers,

Dale

[RayburnGuy]

pearls give me fits with clogging.

 

do they need to be thinned or stored at room temperature?

 

Im using createx & didn't realize it was compatible with other paint like auto air. The auto air seems to have better colors, imo. Green pumpkin, olive, chestnut brown, etc

 

I doubt thinning pearl paints is going to help with clogs. No matter how much you thin it the "pearls" are going to stay the same size. It's pretty much the same thing with flakes with the exception being flake is even larger than the pearls. The only solution is to use a larger sized nozzle in your airbrush. This is where a second airbrush comes in handy.

 

Ben

[O'l Robzilla]

It's my understanding that pearls are made to shoot as watered down as much as possible. Should be a light fog over a color you want to enhance. And a little goes a long way. A base color is good. Then shoot the pearl color to match. That's how it should be approached. It's more of an enhancement color or pearl. If that makes any sense.

[TrophyFishR]

I've got the .5mm Iwata gravity feed & the .35mm for transparent. Maybe it's time to clean it really good.

Edited December 10, 2015 by TropyFishR

[mark poulson]

I doubt thinning pearl paints is going to help with clogs. No matter how much you thin it the "pearls" are going to stay the same size. It's pretty much the same thing with flakes with the exception being flake is even larger than the pearls. The only solution is to use a larger sized nozzle in your airbrush. This is where a second airbrush comes in handy.

 

Ben

I have gotten even lazier, if that's possible.  

I thin my pearls and craft paints, but, if I forget to thin them or they begin to clog, I loosen the needle and pull it back a little, so the nozzle opening is much larger and can spray the thicker paint.  

I also backflush gently to clear the clog.

Edited December 10, 2015 by mark poulson

[RayburnGuy]

I've got the .5mm Iwata gravity feed & the .35mm for transparent. Maybe it's time to clean it really good.

 

You should not be having problems with pearls clogging the .5mm nozzle. If the .5mm is getting clogged when spraying pearls then you most likely need to give your airbrush a thorough cleaning. I have a .35 mm Iwata and can spray most pearl colors with it. I say "most" because there are a few colors in certain brands that do seem to clog the .35mm nozzle. The Createx and Auto Air pearls I've sprayed don't give me any trouble. Black pearl in the Wicked line sprays fine in the .35 nozzle, but Wicked yellow pearl wants to clog fairly quickly. Don't really know why there would be a difference in the pearls in the same paint brand, but it's happened enough to be readily noticeable.

 

My suggestion would be to give your airbrushes a soak in Airbrush Restorer for at least a couple hours with overnight being even better. Follow the soak by giving the brush a good cleaning. I like to use acetone for the final cleanup. It cleans the brush as well as knocking any residual moisture out of the airbrush.

 

If your still using the needle/nozzle combo that came with the airbrush then they should have been matched at the factory for optimum fit. If this is the case then one way to tell if your nozzle/needle is clean and seated properly is to put some water or cleaner in the bowl and hold your finger over the nozzle while pushing down on the trigger. Don't pull back on the trigger. Your only wanting air pressure to reach the nozzle. If you don't see any bubbling in the cup then the needle/nozzle are well seated and this means they are clean. If you get bubbles in the cup then they aren't seated properly and you could still have dried gunk in the nozzle. If you are using a replacement needle or nozzle that haven't been polished to match one another then the above statement probably won't hold true.

 

hope this helps,

 

Ben

Edited December 10, 2015 by RayburnGuy

[TrophyFishR]

Ben, it sounds like I need a good training course on how to proper disassemble my iwata & soak it. Ive always just pulled the needle & cleaned it that way. Also, I replaced the needle last year & never had any problems. Then I take 8 months off from painting & nothing works properly. So, that prompted me to spend $60 on new createx.

[RayburnGuy]

You won't notice any problems as far as spraying paint when replacing a needle or nozzle other than what I spoke of earlier since the differences are so minimal. As far as tearing the brush completely down to clean it I rarely do that. To give it a soaking in airbrush restorer all you need to do is loosen the needle chucking nut and pull the needle back slightly so the restorer has total access to the nozzle. Then just submerge the front end of the brush into the restorer. I use a small, wide mouthed glass jar (don't use plastic as the restorer can dissolve it) that bouillon cubes came in and fill it with restorer. The jar has a wide enough mouth that the front end of the brush will fit into it and it's shallow enough that the brush only goes in up to where the bowl is welded onto the body of the brush. After letting the front of the brush soak in the restorer the brush is then removed and cleaned just as I would after finishing up a painting session. Rinsing and back flushing with water until everything runs clear and then repeating the procedure with acetone while watching the bowl for any small paint flakes that show up in the bowl while back flushing. If any small bits of paint are showing up in the bowl when back flushing I continue to back flush until I no longer see any of this gunk.

 

My cleaning procedures might seem a bit anal, but by keeping the airbrush clean I avoid most of the problems. This makes for much happier painting sessions. At least for me.

 

Ben

[TrophyFishR]

Thanks Ben!

 

Well, I went out & bought a bottle of this stuff, (Auto Air Color 4412 Flair Tint Teal/Purple)

Anybody using the 4400 color shift paints?

[O'l Robzilla]

I'm using color shift yes.

[RayburnGuy]

My pleasure Trophy. Hope it helps.

 

Ben

[mark poulson]

If you're just starting out painting with an air brush, learning a quick, repeatable cleaning routine will save you endless hours of headaches and frustration.  Like backing stuff up on you computer saves you grief, learning to clean your brush quickly and thoroughly while you're painting will do the same thing, and keep painting fun.

Because I have a tupperware of clean water next to my painting "station", I backflush a lot while I'm painting, between every color, and let the brush nozzle hang into the water when I'm heat setting coats of the same color.  

I don't have to do a thorough cleaning very often, because I backflush so often.  

I made a little bracket out of wire that clips onto the side of the tupperware and holds the brush so it's tip is in the water.

 

I also use the airbrush restorer, thanks to Ben.  I keep it in a wide mouthed glass pickle jar,.

I dip the airbrush into the jar, lean the jar until the nozzle and cup are immersed, and then shoot some air through the brush, to get the restorer into all the parts of the brush that have paint.  

That way, I can run it through the brush, moving the trigger so I get both the air passages and paint passages involved, and the restorer stays in the jar.  

That stuff will work even when you can no longer see through it because of the old paint, it's so good.

Then I take the brush off the air line, and just let it soak for a couple of hours in the jar.

When I'm done soaking it, I reconnect the air line, shoot it again in the jar to use the air to push out any loosened paint, and then put clean acetone into the cup and backflush.

Last step is running some water, with a little dish washing liquid soap in it, through the brush, and then back flushing with clean water.

When I do that much of a thorough cleaning, maybe once a month if I'm painting a lot, I pull the needle when I'm done and put some air brush lube on it, and put a drop into the trigger mechanism, so the O rings get lubed, too.

Cleaning a little too often avoids the time-consuming work that results from not often enough.

Edited December 11, 2015 by mark poulson

[RayburnGuy]

I forgot to mention that you can use the airbrush restorer for a longggggggggggg time. I've been using the same stuff I bought several years ago and it still works just fine. It's a little discolored and the bottom of the jar is covered with all the gunk it's removed, but it's still working just as well as it did when it first arrived. The only thing I've done is to add a little restorer to the jar when it gets a little low from the natural loss associated with cleaning.

 

Ben